Philadelphia's P.J. Tucker Problem
The Sixers' bruising forward brings an intensity the team needs desperately, but his lack of offensive polish is causing problems.
The Boston Celtics started Robert Williams III alongside Al Horford in Game 6 of the team’s second-round matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. The strategy was an effort to amp up the team’s defensive intensity.
It worked.
Williams is a quick-footed shot blocker who pops off the ground to turn away attempts by the basket with incredible ferocity. Boston had him “defend” P.J. Tucker, whom he routinely abandoned to clog up the lane when the Sixers turned to their offensive bread and butter: James Harden running pick-and-roll with Joel Embiid.
Horford consistently hugged tight to Embiid as he rolled, taking away a pocket pass that Harden has used to great effect in the series and throughout the year. His primary defender, Jaylen Brown was left with the simple task of recovering to Harden while Williams blocked his way to the hoop.
Tucker was frequently open in the corner or the dunker spot as a result. The Celtics were entirely unperturbed, as Tucker struggled to give them a reason to feel otherwise. He scored eight points on 3-8 shooting, including just 2-7 from beyond the arc.
Boston gladly exchanged Tucker’s modest individual contributions for the benefits that leaving him open produced. Williams didn’t just muck up the lane on pick-and-rolls, but offered help on post ups and drives to the basket, and he did so to devastating effect.
Philly managed just a 72.7 offensive rating during Tucker’s minutes, thanks in large part to the way his limitations allowed the Celtics to load up on more threatening players and take away the Sixers’ pet actions.
Now we’re headed to a game seven, and head coach Doc Rivers is faced with a true conundrum. Tucker is an intangibles All-Star, a fire-breathing pitbull whose effort is infectious and whose toughness is unmatched on the Sixers’ roster.
Teams need someone to do the dirty work, to stick their nose where it doesn’t belong, to operate with a fearlessness that sets the tone for their teammates. They need it particularly badly when the entire season is on the line. Tucker is that person.
But the shackles he puts on Philly’s offense may render his most valuable attributes moot. The Sixers can’t afford to not be able to score for large swaths of the game.
Philly could opt to bring Tucker off the bench as a small ball center if they want to make sure he continues to see playing time, limiting his minutes on the court with Embiid. Tucker’s value comes mostly as an on-ball defender though, and having him play the role of anchor doesn’t make a ton of sense.
The two options that the Sixers really have available are to either bench him entirely or hope he can find a way to punish Boston for ignoring him. Neither is a perfect option, but Philly needs to figure out which is more palatable fast. Game 7 is tomorrow, and with the Milwaukee Bucks already knocked out of the playoffs, the Sixers haven’t had this good of a chance to make the NBA Finals in decades.